9/29 Bama Kitty AMPS 523 +4 519; PMPS 437 +3 413 +7 416

Bama Kitty Mom (GA)

Bama Kitty Mom (GA)

Member Since 2018
Yesterday: 9/28 Bama Kitty AMPS 457 +3.5 340 +8 409; PMPS 307 +2 332

Bama got down to 285 @PM+4 and maybe even lower and may be why he's back in the black. I had dosed him with 100 mg. Gabapentin [liquid compound] after a light snack at AM+6.5 yesterday to chill him out for his sub-q of 100 mls at AM+8.25. About an hour after the sub-q, he threw up so foamy mucus which I attributed to the Gabapentin. In the past he has thrown up shortly after receiving it when given on an empty stomach which is why I fed a snack before administering it. I waited about an hour after he vomited to give him 4 mg of Ondansetron. An hour later was preshot. I fed him and he ate well but still seemed a little out of it. He ate well this morning.

This morning I found that his bed was wet in a couple spots. Now I don't know if he peed in his bed because he was too sedated from the combination of Gabapentin and Ondansetron or if his sub-q fluids leaked out. He had urinated in his litter box overnight maybe a couple of times. This getting up in the middle of the night to test him has me confused as to when he is urinating/defecating since I tend to sift and straighten his litter box while I am up and I don't remember what I did last night.

The time lapse between administering the Gabapentin and the Ondansetron was 4 hours.

Any ideas? @JanetNJ
 
Did the wet spot smell like urine? Or is his urine so dilute that it has none of the typical odor? I have had many a cat who leaked out sub-q fluids. I had to keep wiping them with a towel. It will sometimes help if, when you are removing the needle, you use the other hand that is not holding the needle to sort or pinch off the skin a little bit as you slide out the needle. And just hold that for a second. Of course, being able to do this will depend on your cat and how still he will be for you. Hope this helps. I don’t know if you are already doing this. When I have been able to do this it really helps with the leakage.
 
Oh, and I have never used Gabapentin in my kitties but I have used Ondansetron a lot. I use the mini melts (oral dissolving tablets). I’ve never had any problems with vomiting with that. Could it be the combo? He was probably “out of it” because of the Gabapentin, don’t you think? Ondansetron can be quiet constipating so be sure to watch out for that and take measures to combat it, if necessary.

how many mLs and how frequently are you giving sub-q fluids? :bighug:
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
Oh, and I have never used Gabapentin in my kitties but I have used Ondansetron a lot. I use the mini melts (oral dissolving tablets). I’ve never had any problems with vomiting with that. Could it be the combo? He was probably “out of it” because of the Gabapentin, don’t you think? Ondansetron can be quiet constipating so be sure to watch out for that and take measures to combat it, if necessary.

how many mLs and how frequently are you giving sub-q fluids? :bighug:
Click to expand...
To be clear he vomited because of the Gabapentin, I think. I gave the Ondansetron because he vomited so he would have an appetite for his after PMPS meal. Maybe I could have waited to see if he would eat first but I didn't. The wetness didn't have a real urine odor that I could detect. When I secure a urine sample while he's in the litter box, it does have a clear odor. I felt like the wet spots were a little too large to be just from sub-q leakage. I just won't give any more Ondansetron on top of Gabapentin. He is a little hard to control while the fluids are flowing. I am trying to hold him down and pet him while at the same time keep an eye on the bag to see when I reach my stopping point. I'm giving 100 to 150 mls 2 or 3 times per week.

Thanks for your advice.
 
Yeah, it would help if someone else could hold/pet/scratch or otherwise comfort him while you give the fluids. I have a helped. I never needed it with Darcy because he was so good, but recently my cat Ginger has had fluids and was, for the most part, calm but she gets restless halfway through the process so my helper is invaluable. For some of my past cats, I just put a dish of favorite food or treats in front of them and that kept them busy. When they start losing their appetite it becomes more difficult! One kitty would be fed kibble pieces one at a time by my daughter to keep her busy. She was not diabetic, but this was about the only time she got kibble and she loved it.
Anyway, hugs to you and Bama Kitty!
 
:arghh: So I guess sliding the needle out and doing the gentle pinch technique is out of the question for Bama? I never even thought of giving Gabapentin before fluids. I haven’t had that situation yet, but I am going to keep it in mind because I have a few that are hard to handle! Sounds like you need an extra pair of arms! :)
 
Suzanne & Darcy said:
:arghh: So I guess sliding the needle out and doing the gentle pinch technique is out of the question for Bama? I never even thought of giving Gabapentin before fluids. I haven’t had that situation yet, but I am going to keep it in mind because I have a few that are hard to handle! Sounds like you need an extra pair of arms! :)
Click to expand...
I have mentioned to my mom that she could help in this way--mostly watching the bag and telling me when I get to the level where I had planned to stop. Problem is Bama is so skittish that anyone or anything out of the ordinary spooks him. The vet told me to hold the bag on my shoulder and squeeze it between my neck and shoulder to help the fluids along. Bad advice. The noise of the bag rattling bothered him. I ended up hanging the bag on a command hook in the closet and moving him and his bed just outside the closet while I administer the fluids. No need to squeeze the bag as the fluids flow just fine but he squirms and tries to get away as he feels the fluids moving into him. A couple of times he moved enough to dislodge the needle. I can be down on the floor to hold and pet and keep him in his bed but from that vantage point I can't see the levels on the bag. I have been trying to press down on the spot once I remove the needle but I am apparently not doing it correctly as it continues to ooze. I guess pinching the spot is a better option but there again, more hands are needed. I'll get something worked out.
 
Bama Kitty Mom said:
I have mentioned to my mom that she could help in this way--mostly watching the bag and telling me when I get to the level where I had planned to stop. Problem is Bama is so skittish that anyone or anything out of the ordinary spooks him. The vet told me to hold the bag on my shoulder and squeeze it between my neck and shoulder to help the fluids along. Bad advice. The noise of the bag rattling bothered him. I ended up hanging the bag on a command hook in the closet and moving him and his bed just outside the closet while I administer the fluids. No need to squeeze the bag as the fluids flow just fine but he squirms and tries to get away as he feels the fluids moving into him. A couple of times he moved enough to dislodge the needle. I can be down on the floor to hold and pet and keep him in his bed but from that vantage point I can't see the levels on the bag. I have been trying to press down on the spot once I remove the needle but I am apparently not doing it correctly as it continues to ooze. I guess pinching the spot is a better option but there again, more hands are needed. I'll get something worked out.
Click to expand...
That sounds very challenging! Are you warming the fluids a bit before doing it?
 
Yes. Warm the fluids in a bowl or pan or sink of hot water and leave them there for a while. Be sure to keep the line out of the water. Then turn it upside down (right side up, I guess) and hand/hold it up and let the cool water that will still be in the line to flow out and test the warmed water on the inside of your wrist/forearm like you would a baby bottle to make sure it doesn't feel too warm or hot to you. I know some people who buy a digital thermometer to scan at the bag to see the temp. I've never had to go to all that trouble (although it's a cool thermometer that tests the surface temperature of objects). This can help with some cats. Keeping in mind that the body temp of a cat can be from about 99 to 102 degrees you can either try to go a little above that or just to get it in that range. But, like I said, I don't actually measure the temp. I go by what feels comfortable on my wrist. Some people use a Sous Vide machine that circulates water around the bag at the exact temperature you specify (I don't have one of those either, but I guess I could cook with it :-) ) So.... this is a lot of info and you'll probably come back and tell me that you already warm the fluids! If so.... my apologies! :-) You're an awesome cat mama!
 
Bama Kitty Mom said:
I'll have to try that.
Click to expand...
Warm is much more comfy for the cat! I give 100ml in just over two minutes with the Terumo 20 gauge needles. As I slide the needle out, I put pressure right at/ behind the area the needle was in for a few moments. Been working on my technique for almost 2 years with Tina. She is very easy, but I know all cats aren't as gentle and ok with the ordeal. I imagine none of my others would be so easy. She was spunky earlier, and just ran off when I took my hand off her to check the bag. Hey - I was done! No leaking though.
Best of luck with Bama kitty:cat: I did get an infrared thermometer (Etekcity) , and love it. It was about 15 dollars.
 
Last edited:
Bama Kitty Mom said:
Yesterday: 9/28 Bama Kitty AMPS 457 +3.5 340 +8 409; PMPS 307 +2 332

Bama got down to 285 @PM+4 and maybe even lower and may be why he's back in the black. I had dosed him with 100 mg. Gabapentin [liquid compound] after a light snack at AM+6.5 yesterday to chill him out for his sub-q of 100 mls at AM+8.25. About an hour after the sub-q, he threw up so foamy mucus which I attributed to the Gabapentin. In the past he has thrown up shortly after receiving it when given on an empty stomach which is why I fed a snack before administering it. I waited about an hour after he vomited to give him 4 mg of Ondansetron. An hour later was preshot. I fed him and he ate well but still seemed a little out of it. He ate well this morning.

This morning I found that his bed was wet in a couple spots. Now I don't know if he peed in his bed because he was too sedated from the combination of Gabapentin and Ondansetron or if his sub-q fluids leaked out. He had urinated in his litter box overnight maybe a couple of times. This getting up in the middle of the night to test him has me confused as to when he is urinating/defecating since I tend to sift and straighten his litter box while I am up and I don't remember what I did last night.

The time lapse between administering the Gabapentin and the Ondansetron was 4 hours.

Any ideas? @JanetNJ
Click to expand...
He probably was unconscious from the gaba and had a full bladder from the sub q's. I recently gave my cat just 25 mg of gaba and she was unconscious for many hours. I stayed awake to make sure she was still breathing because it scared me.
 
JanetNJ said:
He probably was unconscious from the gaba and had a full bladder from the sub q's. I recently gave my cat just 25 mg of gaba and she was unconscious for many hours. I stayed awake to make sure she was still breathing because it scared me.
Click to expand...
Thanks Janet. That is the conclusion I reached as well. He has used his litter box as normal today.
 
Tina Marie and Jan said:
Warm is much more comfy for the cat! I give 100ml in just over two minutes with the Terumo 20 gauge needles. As I slide the needle out, I put pressure right at/ behind the area the needle was in for a few moments. Been working on my technique for almost 2 years with Tina. She is very easy, but I know all cats aren't as gentle and ordeal. I imagine none of my others would be so easy. She was spunky earlier, and just ran off when I took my hand off her to check the bag. Hey - I was done! No leaking though.
Best of luck with Bama kitty:cat: I did get an infrared thermometer (Etekcity) , and love it. It was about 15 dollars.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I have an infrared thermometer. I'll try warming the water first and then testing with the thermometer. Thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top